DocBauer

As much as I follow the draft and the MILB system, it's still hard to follow everyone from 2024 when over half of them didn't play until 2025. Grrr! But I'm trying to follow as best as I can despite the season being so early. A couple of 2024 pitchers have looked solid so far, but I maintain that Doktorczyk should be paid attention to. He's a mix of Ober and Matthews. I'm still confused about AAA having Lewis as a piggyback over Dobnak, now hurt. He should be starting. I understand the applause given to McCusker. He's interesting to be sure. He's a Lew Ford late development type of player who might be a really good 5th OF/DH type of bat. But he still does have to prove he's not just on a hot streak. I'm surprised by AA Wichita being as good as they are considering all the missing arms they have.

Look, I'm just not the pitch expert that a lot of my TD brethern are. What i see is a kid with a great 3 pitch mix, though i understand a 4th pitch changes most pitchers dynamic. I've seen a top prospect who has been pretty damn good since he hit the ML level in 2024. And he's been pretty good so far in 2025, SSS. I know his 2 seamer is under construction. And I know that even a different grip on a ball can change how good a pitch can be. I may not be an expert, but I'm not stupid. Does he just need a different grip on his 4 seamer to make it move differently? Does he just need to get that sinker working better? Or does he just need a cutter? I think Festa is right on the edge of being a very, very good ML SP. But what does he need to cross that line?

They were aggressive. I loved the moves at the time, and I suspect most others did as well. The FO "went for it"! I saw the same potential in Mahle as the FO did. Lopez was a great arm that seemed to figure it out and was performing as an All Star. And then everything crashed. I still applaud the FO for "going for it" at the time. Its really unfortunate that those trades didn't turn out. It's good for the franchise that they didn't lose any true difference makers. But I don't look back with major regrets. Once in a while you win trades, and sometimes you lose in trades. I guess the Reds won this one because they got a useful but not great player in the end. But it could have been very different with a healthy Mahle and a strong and not distracted Lopez.

I agree on the QB hype. I'm not crazy about anyone beyond Ward, but I can see the attractiveness of some of the other possibles. But I can see someone wanting to trade up to 24 to get that 5th season for a QB you like. That might be Cleveland. It could be the Rams moving up a couple spots for Dart. That still helps the Vikings with a couple additional picks. I've seen soeculation(s) of the Vikes trading down twice, but it would have to work perfectly. EXAMPLE: Rams trade up a couple spots, and New England DOESN'T got OT with their 1st selection, and trades back in to the late 1st to get the best one remaining. 7 picks instead of 4 would be best case scenario. But that might be too hard to work or dream on. My guess is 1 trade down and 6 picks. I LOVE the top 2 safeties. And I see and understand the temptation. But safeties aren't always drafted, thinking of Bynum and Mettelus recently. And while I actually like the 3 depth DL and their potential, I'd be looking at adding a potential rotation piece and future starter #1. I believe in the concept of "inside out" in football and I'd grab an IOL next. I'm not convinced that Brandel is a bad LG. He was better when Darisaw was healthy. And it was his 1st year as a full time starter. But they NEED another young IOL for depth and development even if said draftee isn't an immediate starter. IF they actually find such a starter, Brandel is already a good multi position backup. (I still think he'd be a good backup CENTER as well). I feel there's enough depth in the CB and S draft optipns that they can grab a couple nice options in the 3rd and 4th rounds based on the expected trade down expectations. There's a number...probably consistent with most drafts...of guys with potential where you trust in development. I've got guys I'm looking at, but not going to fill up my post with those. I do believe the 5th pick will be a RB because it's just smart to grab one in such a deep draft. Seemingly EVERY draft profile has the Vikings drafting Brashard Smith in the 5th round. He fits the offense like a glove. So much so, I could see him selected in a potential 4th round option instead of the 5th. The Vikings seem to be all in on his talent and potential. I'd expect a TE in the 6th round. They seem to love the potential of Fidone from the Huskers and Gadsden from Syracuse. And while I expect an extension for Oliver, they still need a #3 TE. While I dream of a perfect scenario where they can trade down enough for 7 picks...adding a WR option in a draft where the top 50-150+ all have similar rankings in a depth but not great draft...I'm betting on 6 picks. In various order: DL, OL, CB, S, RB, TE. Betting the Wilf's checkbook opens up as wide as ever for some top UDFA additions.

I didn't realize injuries were missed opportunities and mistakes.

Never been a particular fan of the Pohlad's, but I've also never had any real issues until after the 2023 season. They've invested in complexes and new technology, kept the payroll around 17 for many years, etc. But to cut payroll after what was accomplished in 2023 and call it "right sizing", state that you had kept payroll higher than you felt comfortable with, and then have it be known that the team was over $400M in debt because of $ borrowed from/against the franchise, and then ask any potential buyer to bail you out of your debt has me now very much on the anti-ownership side of the argument. The TV deals and other instances have had a part of souring me. But to sacrifice the actual TWINS product because you don't have the $ resources to invest because you've screwed up said finances in the first place is frustrating, to keep it "G" rated.

First, is there someway everyone can be on the same platform for TD posts? It's silly that we have light and dark options if we choose one or the other and can't see our preference. Sorry, but ridiculous that I have to sometimes change my viewer profile to actually read the OP. Yes Buxton is encouraging beyond expectations. And his bat is heating up. He looks healthy and borderline amazing so far. The Buxton we all want. Bader has been better than expected. He's a good ballplayer. But he's not a difference maker. Sorry. That doesn't diminish good things that he has done, and might yet do. France has been as good or better than hoped for depending on your perspective. Despite a few meltdowns, the pitching has been solid or better and showing signs of being even better. It's still the offense that has held this team down, despite a few meltdown moments. Optimism? Correa's wrist is OK and he gets going. Wallner is back soon. Lewis is back soon. Latnach rebounds soon. A lot of "soon" going on. A healthy Lee makes a difference. Julien re-discovering himself makes a difference. Keaschall as Rodriguez can make a difference. There's more than a couple pitchers who can help make a difference. ALL OF THESE THINGS can make a difference and still make this a fun and interesting season. But what makes it much better is a little better health, and the veteran players remembering how to hit again.

After 9 appearances do we have any sort of accurate read on Duran? He wasn't god-like in 2024 but he was still good. His power curve has actually been probably his best pitch previously. His splinker maybe his 2nd best pitch at times. The velocity of his FB has dropped from super human to beyond human. I've said many times, maybe taking a little off his other pitches might make a difference to confuse batters IF his velocity is down. If his FB is only 99-100, then take 2-3 mph off the other offerings. But then I saw him blow a 102MPH fastball for strike 3 to close a win a couple days ago! Duran is only 27yo. But the body isn't designed, generally speaking, to throw like that long term. Adjustments need to be made. Sequencing and maybe a 4th pitch, even if it's a "show me" offering can make a difference. But while i 100% agree with bullpen usage being based on best arms for the best usage in critical situations, MAYBE Duran just has the old school mindset that he's going to "close the door"! And maybe he doesn't. But IF HE DOES he is still important.

He's a Gasper clone as a hitter,...but not a switch hitter...and similar age ballplayer, with maybe a little more power. The difference is he got a shot in 2024 and ACTUALLY produced at the ML level. And he's got more positional flexibility than Gasper. He's a 1B/2B/3B emergency catcher option who has at least limited ML offensive production on his resume. So the Twins spent a couple $thousand to just bring him on board to help for a few days or so until they figure out the health situation. They could have promoted Alvarez or Fitzgerald from AAA instead, but I'm not sure it matters much at this point. He's had recent success at the ML level, and I believe the poor Marlins thought he might be a starter based on 2024. Eeles is out, Martin is out, Miranda is out. Bride is an emergency "he did produce in 2024 and only costs a little $" option as a temporary option.

I am NOT tooting my own horn, but I did make a comment in an OP when discussing 1B signing options I was OUT on Rizzo and a few others presented as options, and would rather have France as a 30yo bounceback option vs the remaining options. He was very good in 2022, and pretty decent...not great...in 2023. And he was off to a good start in 2024 before a foot injury that derailed his season. I WANTED Goldschmidt very badly for 1yr, or a 1+1 deal thinking there was still gas in the tank. I also wanted Josh Bell as a 1B/DH option. Goldschmidt has looked OK so far, not great, and Bell looks bad. So I was probably off there. But once 1B was a "who do you take a chance on", France made the most sense on age and a return to performance based on such, as well as health. SO FAR, he has been the smart choice. While no defensive whiz, I've been generally impressed with his ability to play a solid 1B and scoop the ball well. The bat has been solid so far. While I got slight pushback about him being a potentially important bat around the 7th spot or so in the lineup...that's not usually where you find your 1B....he could be valuable if he maintains his near 2022/2023 self in that spot. But that also means a healthy Wallner, Correa, and Lewis. Arrgh! But so far, he has been the right choice on a cheap deal for 2025.

I agree on Harper. The build and the hair out the back of the helmet, I've got to vote Harper as well.

This really helps. The pen is obviously makes the pen better as well as deeper. I still believe in Jax, and I think most of us do. And we should based on what he's done the past 3 years. The velocity is still there, the K's are there, but bad luck or command a little off, he just hasn't been consistent YET. Stewart doesn't help the offense, but the entire pen has a lift with him there to hopefully prevent some of the close losses we've had. *Jax WILL round back in to form. I think we all know and believe that.

Tremendous article Jamie! 1] Festa is ALSO a very good young SP. And he was the right choice to come up first...for all the reasons stated...and he's looked really good. He gets better command of his 2 seamer, as well as additional experience, the Twins basically have TWO very good, young starts with some very good upside. 2] Matthews is looking great, but he wasn't quite as good in his 3rd start. And that's OK. Its a process. Nothing wrong with him having a little more time at AAA to work on control and command, as well as his adjusted changeup. Absolutely agree that as good as his control is, you absolutely have to have the command to hit the edges and occasionally throw outside the zone to induce chasing from the batter. 3] As good as Matthews is looking, it's very seldom any pitcher comes up and doesn't have some learning to do. It's called experience. With Lopez back soon, Ryan and Ober rounding in to form, SWR solid and Paddack coming off his best start of the season, no need to rush anyone. 4] It's pretty typical for pitchers to have some sort of pitch limit this early in the season. They are building up their arms, and other pitchers also need work. The idea of a MILB arm throwing 90 pitches and 7 innings this early in the season is pretty rare. 5] Slightly off track, while Morris had a rough 3rd start, I'm super encouraged by his progress and potential. Matthew's great 2024 overshadowed the really good '24 that Morris had. It's entirely possible the Twins have THREE really good, ready made, young starters and not room for all of them to begin 2025. That's a GOOD problem to have. 6] I have a lot of faith in Lewis being a solid ML SP, though he's a little behind the others touched on. With all due respect to Dobnak and possible pen/length contributions yet this season, I believe Lewis should be starting for St Paul and let Dobnak be the the piggyback arm. IMO, that serves both pitchers better going forward.

I always think it's funny when Jeffers is supposed to be Bench as a receiver and Piazza as a BAT. Why can't he be be good as he is? The ERA of the staff has him slightly better than Vazquez, FWIW. Even with some ups and downs, he's still far better of a bat than Vazquez. At 28yo he's just in his prime as a player and batter. Even in a 50% split PA appearance he stoked 20 HR in 2024. He's so far above what Vazquez can contribute that it should clearly be a 60-40 split at this point. It's OK if Jeffers isn't a HOF catcher, but he's good and has a good bat that might even be better if he plays 60-65% of the games played.

It's a good list, Seth, and I sure can't argue with it. But a list like this is interesting when you have a pair of 19yo ish kids on the same list like Questad and J Rodriguez but they are in different categories. I thought Schobel's poor performance on his jump to AA was really disappointing. I've questioned the power jump his last year in college, but I didn't expect such a painful performance when he arrived at Wichita. I had soured on him somewhat. Really nice to see a good start to 2025 for him! Gonzalez was rated a little too high, IMO, when the Twins acquired him. Then he had a bad year, though injury does seem to have been a factor. The good start gives me optimism that the bat and power potential might yet play. And he is still really young. Despite decent speed and a strong arm, I'm still worried about his defense. It's INCREDIBLY unfair to watch a kid ONE TIME in a ST game with wind and a brilliant sky and make a determination...think it was against the Pirates...but he seemed to have a hard time tracking the ball. But again, totally unfair to form a negative opinion on a young kid immediately. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that Questad jumped to A ball instead of going back to the FCL. Other than good K numbers, he just wasn't very good in 2024. A return to the FCL made sense to me, and that's OK for a young HS pitcher still growing and adjusting. The improvement he's made in the offseason has been amazing considering his early results. I still have faith in Rosario. He's not fast, but he's not completely lead-footed either from what I hear, and he's reportedly got a good arm. His AFL performance after missing so much time was encouraging as his power dropped, but I believe his AVG and OB% was better. I had hoped that would be a springboard for a good 2025. So far...not so good. But i keep reflecting on his very good 2023 at A+ and think there's still something THERE despite the slow start so far this season. Again, it's still early. I have a lot of faith in DeAndrade. He was only barely 20yo at A+ to begin 2024. And then he got hurt. Hurt bad enough that he never appeared in the AFL following the season. Unfortunately, it makes sense as young as he is, coming off missing so much time, that he began in CR again. The "problem" is having too many SS options at CR to play everyone as much at SS as you really want to. OBVIOUSLY you always move guys around to keep them playing and expose them to other future positions. But the key is him being healthy for 2025 and in the lineup regardless of having a fixed position. J Rodriguez has been a bit of a disappointment so far. After he tore up the DSL, and had a solid 2023 I thought he might be ready to bloom in 2024. He didn't. And he's off to a rough start for this season. But again, one more time, it's such a SSS that he might get untracked over the next few weeks. Mercedes did that, more or less, last season and hopefully J-Rod will do the same. GUILTY PLEASURE FOR A FAST START; I was really hoping Eeles would have a fast start for 2025 and make the Twins regret not bringing him to ST. Then I found out he was have a cartilage procedure that we all hope is minor and he'll be back soon. But I was ALSO hoping for a fast start for McCusker. IMO, when you scout and draft players, or when your scouts go out and find Independent League players with potential, to "fill in" MILB roster needs and find someone who has talent, you DON'T IGNORE THEM just because they might be a bit older. McCusker might not be a MLB player. He might not be a finished prospect at 27yo at AAA, and he might never be anything but a RH occasional player. But then again, MAYBE he's a powerful RH bat against LHP that doesn't suck against RHP. MAYBE he's a solid bench player if nothing else. But I keep thinking about past Twins like Lew Ford. What if you get a couple good seasons from someone? What about Kiersey not setting the world on fire so far, but playing good defense, running the bases, and MAYBE hitting well and being a solid ML player? Average players don't make a great team. But "bench" players can sometimes be very good additions to a team.

They could easily move him to the 60 man IL. They have to pay him a little more i think, but keeping his service time in check should be a non-factor ar this point. I mean, if you want to keep looking him around, then just put him on the 60 man already.

I'm super excited! But I was really this wouldn't happen for another month as his elbow would be that much stronger/proven and this early promotion also means injuries have happened. But did I mention I'm super excited?

My simple comment is I DONT CARE. Rodriguez reminds me a lot of Wallner, even though they are different physically. Both are decent hitters...potentially in regard to Emma as he hasn't reached the ML level yet...with high K rates and good BB ability to have a good OB%. Wallner probably has more pure upper deck power. Rodriguez is capable of the same 30HR power, but will probably be in the 20+ HR range with more doubles, and more SB. His arm might be as good, but his range might be better. He's probably able to play a solid CF from everything I've seen and heard. Keaschall is also a very good athlete who has the ability to play the OF. I don't know about his "instincts" tracking balls, so I give that advantage to Rodriguez until I learn more. His playing 1B was about keeping his bat in the lineup while waiting for pre-planned surgery. Based on limited and unfair comparisons, Keaschal is probably going to be a lesser defender when you consider 2B vs CF, even though we're not certain just yet if Rodriguez is a pure CF. But to be fair, anything that Keaschall does defensively is very early since he has only 1 FULL SEASON of being a pro, WITH an impending surgery both sides knew was coming. It's why he was shut down in 2024 to get ready for 2025. Keaschall will be a better hitter, IMO, and probably a comparable OB%, with good pop/power and possibly similar speed on the basepaths. But I think Keaschall will be a more CONSISTENT hitter and establish himself as the Twins #1 batter, while Rodriguez will be less consistent, but a larger power hitter. I also have a feeling Keaschall will debut sooner. I think his approach will be better initially. I think Rodriguez will bat lower initially as he continues to adjust. Keaschall will debut sooner. He's going to have more success early. But if Rodriguez achieves anything close to his potential, he will probably be the better player. But honestly, BOTH are so good that I don't care how you rank them.

Lee is up and I can understand if he's limited for the first week or so to back to back games but not 3 in a row. But he needs to be in the lineup daily as soon as they feel comfortable doing so. And as I stated in a different OP, play him daily, bat him low in the order, and let him figure it out over time. He doesn't have anything to prove at AAA and thr basic eye and hit tool are there. It's time to give him a long run. With all due respect to those who wanted Rodriguez to get an opening day spot and just run with him...similar to my mention of Lee above...he still missed a lot of time last season and had his ST interrupted. I think he's a pretty special talent, but he's still young and figuring some things out. He's probably never going to be a GREAT hitter, but a decent one, with a lot of BB and 30 Dbl and 20/20 HR/SB ability with good defense. He's just not ready YET. As young as he is, that's not a bad thing. Keaschall is a very good athlete and a primary 2B by trade. He's athletic enough to play some OF as well. The fact that he's been used some at 1B to save his arm is not a bad thing. His bat should absolutely play at the ML level, and possibly fairly soon. But the organization is taking it a little slow to build up his arm. Meanwhile he's off to a solid start. Again, it's OK to give Lee a long run at this point, enjoying his glove while he adapts and "figures it out" with the bat. And it's if Rodriguez and Keaschall need a little more time. There's enough bats at the ML level that need to get untracked right now. But it sure is nice to see Julien start to make strides. Considering his bat in college, MILB, and his rookie 2023 season, it would be crazy to give up on him after a bad 2024. It's POSSIBLE Rodriguez and Keaschall do what Wallner, and Julien did in 2023 and raise the offense in the 2nd half of 2025. But again, there's enough talent on the current Twins to be a hell of a lot better than they have been so far. Camargo is looking early much more like the good and powerful bat he was for St Paul in 2023. He's got a strong arm for CS%. If he was truly SO BAD calling games, or defensively, then why has he been protected? With all due respect to Vazquez, a quality person, teammate, and experienced backstop, it would probably be hard for Camargo to be so bad that he couldn't match Vazquez, or improve upon, offensively. But there has been a stubbornness in not letting him get a chance that I don't understand. But I'm going to take this 2 steps further. Unbeknownst to us until fairly recently, Eeles had a knee surgery that I believed involved a cartilage repair. Still have no clue how serious this was. But it does explain him not being invited to ST. (Why are the Twins so tight lipped about injuries?). IF what he had was a major surgery, his season is somewhat in doubt. But IF it was a much more mild orthoscopic procedure, he might be rehabbing even now and be ready by the 2nd half to be a sparkplug option. It really stinks for Martin that he got off to a strong start only to be injured. I really hope he's not out for an extended time. Because he really NEEDS time to provide at least SOME kind of pop/power in his game, along with improved defense, because he can't survive at the ML level just stroking a few singles and hoping for the occasional BB. But I think McCusker should also be mentioned. Simply put, he was a drafted player who washed out, went to Independent Ball, and was signed by the Twins. I fully understand he's almost 27yo. But in 2 seasons with the Twins in his "rebirth" he reached AAA. And in 24 games and 98PA, he had an .820 OPS. It's a SSS to be true. And he might just be an older player who got his game together late but still isn't a ML caliber ballplayer. And it's ONLY 10 games in the 2025 season, but his quad slash line so far is .265/ .375/ .529/ .904. He is probably only an interesting AAAA player. Despite a reportedly good arm, he's considered average at best defensively. He K's too much, but does take some BB, and he has power that rivals Wallner. But if he keeps improving and raking at the AAA level, shouldn't he be considered as a RH power bat at some point? A late blooming 5th OF/DH with his potential offensive contributions shouldn't be ignored, IMO. I'd rather see Rosario take that part a year or so from now, but I don't think you should just ignore a late blooming power bat who might be a good role player. Yes, the Twins have some bats at St Paul who MIGHT make a difference yet this season. But there's a couple others that shouldn't be ignored. But right now, it's getting the bats on hand to start playing up to their abilities before it's too late!

First of all, in the current ML climate of MLB, the Twins are a mid market team. And they will remain a mid market team. With prayers, hope, and luck, MLB will one day open their eyes and the Union will do the same, and both sides will find an NFL like payroll structure of at least semi-total financial intake sharing that will revolutionize MLB to garner fan interest and provide hope and interest for baseball fans everywhere! But that isn't going to happen for some time. IMO, STOP banging on Buxton and Correa. When healthy, they are worth their contracts. How excited were most of us when Correa signed? We thought we turned a corner and we're ready to be a PLAYER! The fact that that our 2025 Twins are off to a poor start STINKS! I'm frustrated, disappointed, and angry. But let's get real for a moment. The staff is rounding in to shape, but slower than we hoped. The offense/lineup wasn't supposed to be great, but it was supposed to be at least average, with hope for better. While no-one expected this poor of a start from notoriously slow starters, did anyone expect this slow of a start from Buxton and Correa? Does anyone really believe they won't settle in eventually? Financial reality at this time states the Twins, and other mid market teams, will only occasionally be able to add a FA of Correa's ability. They will have to continue to draft/sign and develop. And maybe add a few pieces around the edges. @Riverbrianstated it correctly, you draft and sign and develop or you die. Sean Johnson is more responsible for the current pitching and position player pipeline than Falvey is. Falvey put him in charge, MASSIVE KUDOS! Johnson has been part of the scouting department for years, and head of said department since 2022. I think that's important in this discussion since he's either been a part of, or directly responsible for many of the recent drafts. The future is important. That's why I bring up Johnson. He's responsible directly for current Twins pitchers in the pipeline and all of the top position players as well. But when I look at the current roster and see all the underperforming players, I have certain expectations from Buxton and Correa. I love seeing Wallner continue to prove unbelievers wrong...but I'd LOVE to see him in the #4 slot where he might do even more damage! And that's where I jump in to look at the immediate future. I simply can't find ANY EXCUSE for how bad Buxton and Correa have been so far, but they WILL pull out of it. Larnach has been OK, but has also been underperforming. As has Jeffers. But Julien is just not as bad as he was in 2024, history would seem to show that. A healthy Lewis is an All Star player. Lee has a chance to VERY GOOD even if he's not an All Star. Wallner is proving once again how good he is. But the reason I brought Johnson in to the discussion is because he's responsible for Lee in the 2022 draft as well as a great collection of other talent then and since. FA is never going to be the primary framework of the Twins roster. It can't be based on the current financial framework. Optimum trades of talent on hand might be a good option here and there...as the Rays do...but I'd rather follow the Brewers example. You draft smart, you develop smart, and you promote smart. SOMETIMES you promote UNSMART! I don't hate the FO, even though I disagree at times. Are they so paranoid about depth that they don't take enough chances? Why not put Canterino on the 60 man to free a roster spot for someone else? While ignore or a horrible performing catcher instead of offering a chance for a younger catcher who probably can't do worse? Why not let Helman...no longer with the team...and Keirsey a better opportunity than a couple weeks late in 2024? I don't hate the FO. But for a mid market team I'm surprised how aggressive they are at times to promote players and then hold them back. Lee should play daily, limited for a few days to make sure his back is OK. Live with his bat until he figures it out. That's what you do with a top prospect. Get Rodriguez up ASAP. You think there's not enough room? There is. And when Keaschall's arm is ready, get him up ASAP. Let him leadoff and let Wallner slide down for more RBI opportunities. The pitching is there, and might even get better going forward. The current lineup, and young talent on hand, ready soon, and coming up, shouldn't mean a dip in FA to make a difference. Unless, of course, you get a Cruz who drops in your lap. BUT, I'm going to bitch again about the stubborns about the FO in regard to some prospects. When Margot was so bad, Helman and Keirsey should have been early options. They weren't. Helman is gone, Keirsey is here, but not even playing. Fine, Bader has taken his role so far. And he's been great so far. But why has the FO been so paranoid about depth to the point where they hold on to a Margot or Gallo is a mistake instead of just taking a shot at what you have and trusting in what you have and giving those players a chance. That's how you build a team. You either believe in what you have or you don't.

With all due respect, I don't really follow/agree with the premise of the OP. The Twins are basically relying on 2 arms to be the ANCORS of the pen with a collection of another 6+ arms to fill in the rest? Generally speaking, isn't that exactly what virtually EVERY team does, and has done for DECADES? The only difference is they are following a pattern that Cleveland did almost a decade ago where their BEST arm was often used in the 8th inning against the heart of the lineup vs saving said arm...no pun intended...for the 9th. That's not exactly radical thinking. I'm not smart enough or "plugged in" enough to know the workings of every arm on the Twins staff to know or understand how they "tick". IF Duran has the mental and physical ability to just turn it up another notch as the 9th inning guy, then maybe he needs to throw then, and keep Jax as the FIREMAN for the 7th or 8th inning. But that also means BOTH have to prove themselves. Duran's BB numbers in such a limited number of appearances shouldn't be counted as an absolute at this point. Nor should a couple bombs and a HORRIBLE missed throw to the 1B that cost the Twins a game by Jax undo all the great performances he's had the last few years. Like everyone else I'm disappointed and frustrated and confused how poor the team has played, and how many different ways they've chosen to lose games. But as Nick pointed out in his OP the other day, the pen has been generally excellent, but also poor at the same time. With some uneven starts and poor offense, how are we to quantify this pen at this point? They've absolutely cost a couple games. But they've also kept the Twins in a couple games where the bats utterly failed. As frustrated, confused, and almost angry as I've been to the start of this season, I can't quantify anything after 15 games. More modern thinking has shown that the "closer" role who got all the saves was a skewed statistic as many of those saves were against the bottom of the order, meaning the setup man may have actually been used in a higher leverage situation. But all teams have their version of a power duo at the back end of their pen. The only difference is if they are applied as "best fit" for the situation on hand, or used in the traditional "setup-closer role".

I wish I had an answer. A little over 2 weeks in and I've seen this team lose games in more ways that even seem possible. Some numbers say the pen is actually performing well. Some say they have been awful. But a dozen or so games in, do we have an accurate read? EVERY reliever has bad games. Period. Right now, those bad games are being magnified. There have been more than a few games where the pen has been excellent, but the offense was ridiculously poor, or the starter had a bad game. But who ever expected Jax to lose a game because of an errant toss to 1B? Alcala looks good, gets hit on the arm, and falls apart. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he was solid his next turn? But then he got hammered a couple games ago in a loss. When games are this tight, and the line for winning or losing is 1 run, are the relievers getting wound up too tight? Or do we blame an offense that is good for about 1 inning a game? As bad as thus early season has been, just a couple clutch hits would make a difference. Pitchers not throwing the ball away probably ensures 2 more wins. It's been beyond crazy and disappointing. I don't think generally solid performances from the #8 guys in the pen should be undersold, however. And im still confused by roster construction that has Canterinoon the 40 man instead of the 60 man because they don't want to pay him a little more and start his service clock too early? Unfortunately, its likely he never throws a single pitch at the ML level. And if he does, we're worried about his service time clock at this point? Anyway, the numbers from the pen are so varied at this point after only 15 games that I'm not worried AT THIS POINT. It really is too early to pass judgment. Look again May 1st and I might have a different opinion.

With all due respect to THE KILLER, he played so much 1B and OF with 3B mixed in that I can't call him the Twins best 3B. The persona of "The Rat" as well as his production, defense and GG...after being called "Stone Hands" when he first came up...and All Star appearances makes him a prime candidate for #1. His production in 1987 cements him further in Twins lore. And he's always been and probably will always be my favorite Twins 3B. But is he the BEST Twins 3B? He probably is. But IMO Koskie is AT LEAST damn close. Persona and helping to win a WS places Gaetti on a certain special place on the shelf of all time great Twins. And he played 9yrs for the Twins vs 6yrs for Koskie. But Koskie also turned himself in to a fine defensive 3B. And he actually has a better AVG, OB%, and OPS than Gaetti in his Twins tenure. He played 3 less full seasons, didn't have the personality, and didn't win a WS. If you look at the WS and Gaetti's career with the Twins, there is a bit of romanticizing his career. If you look simply at the practical side of pure numbers, Koskie was as good or even better. I only say this to remind everyone just how good Koskie really was. Everything he was, and everything he did and accomplished, Gaetti is my choice for the Twins best 3B. But IMO Koskie is very, very close at #2.

It was the right move either even though would have benefited with more AAA time to shake off rust and get in some kind of groove with the bat. But Miranda is a virtual black hole right now and needs a serious reset. Lee won't make such an egregious base running error, and is a fine defender. While I don't expect much from him with the bat initially, I don't know that Lee benefits from any sort of long stretch at St Paul. While I expect him to get a couple days off here and there to make sure his back isn't pushed too hard, I'd like to see him eventually be in the lineup daily and let his bat work itself out over time. He's got the ability to be a solid hitter. Bat him 8th or 9th and live with what you get for as long as it takes for him to "figure it out" offensively. Sometimes with a young player you just play him and wait for the good to happen.

I'm always in favor of running the bases aggressive and smart. The idea of SB is different than just being aggressive on the bases. The current Twins team doesn't have the speed to steal many bases. That may change in the future. But better aggressive extra bases are within their grasp. And I have seen a more aggressive a more approach this season. But it still comes back to opportunity. You stil need the batter to get a hit or at least a sacrifice to plate a runner. And so far the batters just haven't hit at all. While the pitching hasn't been perfect, it's been solid. Incredible that 3 games have been lost to errors by the pitchers making weird errors. There's been so many weird mistakes that I have to no clue who to blame for this bad start. Being more aggressive in running the bases SHOULD BE natural for the Twins. Unfortunately, there's a lack of speed on the team currently. And that may change soon. But pure speed doesn't mean you can't be aggressive in taking an extra base. But despite the poor offense so far, I'm at least seeing some attempt to be aggressive on the basepaths. The problem has been ANYONE taking advantage and driving a runner in.